Sunday, August 11, 2013

Many have been calling for Local Council Elections, and that was a Pakatan Rakyat election commitment in 2008 - but still Councillors are being appointed using a BN formula - where it is members of PR parties that sit in Local Councils, save a small number of persons from 'civil society'

Transparency and accountability was also not there in the PR-State ruled Local Councils. No minutes. No public access to Loacl Council meetings (and meetings of the various committees), which provided by law should be open to the public.

“All meetings of the local
authority shall be open to the public and to representatives of the Press…”
where it continues with an unless, being “…unless the local authority by
resolution at the meeting otherwise decides…”. - Section 23 of the Local Government Act 1976

No accounts - how much income? How was the monies being spent? Are the Local Council still spending a lot of monies for 'overseas trips', uniforms and other perks for the Local Councillors.

But of late, in Selangor, there is some positive movement, as announced by Teng Chang Kim, i.e. Local Council meetings will be broadcast live, and minutes will finally be made available...A move in the right direction, and hope it will continue...

SHAH ALAM: Local councils in Selangor will broadcast live telecast of its monthly board meetings on their websites by Aug 30 this year.
Local Government and Research state executive councillor Datuk Teng Chang Khim said Selangor would be the first state in Malaysia to do so, in line with the Freedom of Information Act passed by the state assembly in 2011.

"A lot of people have said they do not know what is happening within our local councils so this is a good way for people to understand the running of the council, its programmes and its successes," Teng said after visiting Shah Alam City Council today.

He said eight local councils were given till Aug 30 to install hardware such as cameras and upgrade their software for live broadcast on the respective councils' websites.

The meeting minutes will also be published on the websites.

The eight local involved are the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), Klang Municipal Council (MPK), Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj), Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), Selayang Municipal Council (MPS), Sepang Municipal Council (MPSp), Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) and Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).

THe Hulu Selangor District Council, Hulu Langat District Council, Kuala Langat District Council and Sabak Bernam District Council will carry out the plan at a later time as these councils lacked funds, Teng said.

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